VISTA – More than 20 people yesterday protested changes to Medicare prescription drug coverage at the district office of Rep. Darrell Issa. Organizers said the protest was part of a nationwide effort organized by MoveOn.org.

Local organizers said they were hoping to extend an approaching May 15 deadline for Medicare recipients to sign up for voluntary prescription drug plans. They said the new federal law has confused seniors and will penalize those who want to enroll in the program after the deadline.

Some government officials, however, said more people have enrolled in the program because of the deadline.

“People cannot figure it out,” said Donald W. McLean, 74, of Fallbrook, a local organizer of the protest. “It's very confusing to the senior citizens who have to deal with it.”

Standing in a parking lot and along a road near the congressman's office, some of the demonstrators held signs reading, “Cancel the May 15th Senior Tax.” Several drivers honked as they passed. The group then entered Issa's office to talk to his district director.

According to the Medicare Web site, the new program, which took effect Jan. 1, is intended to increase prescription drug coverage for seniors.

If Medicare recipients miss Monday's deadline, they will have to wait until Nov. 15 for another chance to sign up. During that time, they will incur a permanent, 1 percent increase each month in their premiums.

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services said yesterday in a news release that more than 1 million Medicare recipients nationwide enrolled in the new, voluntary program from late April to May 6.

“People are signing up for the program,” said Peter Ashkenaz, a spokesman for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. He said the deadline has acted as an incentive.

Medicare recipients have been eligible to enroll in the program since Nov. 15. In a news release, Issa's office pointed to statistics from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services that say 84 percent of those eligible in his district have signed up.